Ignition unit



-March 5, 1957 P. E. HINES iGNITION UNIT Filed Feb. 29, 1952 Fig.!

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United States Patent IGNITION UNIT Philip E. Hines, Nepton, Ky.

Application February 29, 1952, Serial No. 274,115

2 Claims. (Cl. 123-148) This invention relates to an ignition unit and particularly to a unit for starting under adverse voltage conditions.

In the operation of motor vehicles, it is customary to find that in very cold weather the battery voltage is low and the stiffness of the motor makes an extra drag on the starter, so there is not enough voltage available to give a good hot spark to secure starting.

The present invention relates to an ignition unit for eliminating this trouble and providing a hot spark for starting under adverse voltage conditions.

The ignition unit according to the present invention comprises an induction coil having a low voltage starting unit and a means connected in series therewith to reduce the normal voltage to the lower voltage which is essential for the coil. Under the conditions when the voltage would normally be low, it is possible to remove the impedance in series with the coil and impress all of the voltage that is available across the low voltage primary to secure the hot live spark to the necessary ignition. The unit is combined in a container in such a manner that the entire container may be cooled without any dirt or moisture being admitted to the ignition unit.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved ignition unit.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an ignition unit for producing a hot spark under adverse voltage conditions.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a circuit in which a portion of the impedance may be reduced when the voltage is naturally low.

It is another object of this invention to provide an ignition unit in which the strength of the spark is under the control of the operator.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be apprised from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation through the ignition unit according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the method of utilizing the invention; and,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a motor showing the ignition unit mounted thereon.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the invention a source of electric energy such as a battery is connected to the ignition system including a breaker 12 and a distributor 14 for applying high voltage potential of the coil 16 through a plurality of spark plugs 18. Current application to the ignition system is controlled by the usual olf and on switch 20. The heretofore described parts are customary in an ignition system and are not part of the present invention.

The present invention includes a coil 16 having a primary winding 22 which is wound to operate at a relatively low voltage and a secondary winding 24 producing the usual high potential voltage to be delivered to the distributor 14. Since the source of potential 10 is 2,784,244 Ice Patented Mar. 5, 1957 at the usual voltage of the normal vehicle battery, the impedance 26 is connected in series circuit relation be tween the battery 10 and the primary winding 22 to re duce the potential applied to the primary winding 22 to the voltage to which it is Wound. During normal voltage condition of the battery 10, the impedance 26 which is usually in the form of a wound resistor, as seen in Figure l, is maintained in circuit relation between the battery 10 and the coil 22. However, when there is an abnormally low voltage in the battery 10, or for some other reason, the terminal voltage is reduced, a switch 28 normally biased to open position by spring 30 is provided with contacts 32 and 34 to close a shunt I circuit 36 around the impedance 26. The switch member 28 is controlled by a magnetic member 38 on which is wound a coil 40 connected to the ignition circuit by a conductor 42. The other terminal of winding 40 is connected to an auxiliary switch 44 by means of a conductor 46.

The unit is mounted in a substantially cylindrical container 50 having ends 52 and 54 which are connected in any conventional manner and maintained in position, by the fasteners such as screws 56. The ends 52 and 54 close the container in substantially gas tight relation so that the ignition unit will remain clean and in operative condition. The switch including the coil 40 on the magnet 38 as well as the inductance coil 16 is mounted within this container. The impedance 26 is mounted in a bracket 58 which is secured on the exterior of the container 50 and is connected across the switch 28 by means of a conductor 42 and 46. The conductors 42 and 46 are connected to the conductor 60 which connects the switch 20 to the terminal of the impedance 26 while the conductor 46 connects the terminal 34 to the conductor 62 which connects the impedance to the input terminal of the coil 22.

In order to maintain the ignition unit in properly cooled condition an air duct 70 is secured on the exterior surface of the container 50 and is provided with a wind scoop 72 for producing an air stream through the duct 70 to cool the container 50. The bracket 58 containing the impedance 26 is mounted at the rear of the duct 70 so that the air stream flows all over.

The high potential terminal of the induction coil 16 is connected by a conductor 76 through the distributor 14 while the ground terminal of the coil 16 is connected to the breaker 12 by means of a conductor 78. The container 50 is mounted on any convenient device, such as the motor 80 by means of brackets 82.

In the operation of the device with normal voltage the switch 28 is maintained in open condition so the impedance 26 reduces the battery voltage to the necessary voltage to operate the coil 22. In the event of lower voltage for any reason such as cold or heavy draft by the starting motor, the switch 44 may be closed which will close the switch 28 and remove impedance 26 from the circuit by means of shunt valve 42 and 36 and the total voltage of the battery will be applied to the coil 22 to produce a hot spark at the plugs 18.

For purposes of exemplification a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described to the best present understanding thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the arts that minor changes in modification can be made thereon without departing from the true spirit of the'invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an ignition circuit having an inductance coil and an impedance connected in series circuit relation, a switch connected in shunt with said impedance, resilient means biasing said switch to open position, a magnetic means for closing said switch, auxiliary circuit means ineluding a control switch,fonselectively energizing said m s l r ...rnean scal dson ain r en l g a d i ductance coil, said switch and said magnetic means, said impedance being mounted on the exterior of said container, an air duct secured to said containerand a wind scoop directing an air stream through said air duct and over said impedance.

2. For use in an ignition circuit having animpedance and an inductance coil connected in series circuit relation, a switch connected in shunt with said impedance, resilient means biasing said switch to open position, a magnetic means for closing said switch, auxiliary circuit means including a control switch forselectively energizing said magnetic means, a'sealedcontainerenclosing said inductance coil, said switch and said magnetic means,

an aigduct secured to said container and a wind scoop directing an air stream through said air duct, said impedance being mounted exterior of said container and in the air stream flowing through said air duct.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

